Packaging



R. WELLS PACKAGING Aug. 9, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. ll, 1956HWENTORA www BY Magg, LDIJFLQQICS @Lgt ATTORNEY R. WELLS PACKAGING Aug.9, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 O n w o.

Filed Jan. 11, 1956 INVENTOR 5%@ M,

lm (A).

A LOCKS ATTORNEY A118 9, 1960 R. wEpLs 2,948,094

" PACKAGING Filed Jan. 11, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY R. WELLSPACKAGING Aug. 9, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 11, 1956 I N VENTORATTORNEY AU8 9, 1960 R. WELL-s 2,948,094

PACKAGING Filed Jan. 11, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR jyw 71%,

L i. BY nu @Af-'FLomcs ATTORNEY United States Patent PACKAGING RogerWells, Plattsburgh, N.Y., assignor to Diamond National Corporation, :acorporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 11, 1956, Ser. No. 558,523

32 Claims. ((1531-37) This invention relates to packaging :and thecontinuous handling lof :rolls of web material produced axially in.plural numbers at leach of more than `one station and more:particularly it involves a novel method and structural arrangement forhandling rolls of waxed paper produced in multiple at each of more thanone station and continuously .and successively loading the rollsindividually into a series of individual open cartons each provided witha tray `having side wings and -a `cover locking slit and a coverincludingl :a lock top, `and continuously and in succession closing saidloaded cartons with said wings folded inwardly and said lock tabsinserted in said locking slit.

Prior to the instant invention individual machines have been devised forWinding and slitting rolls of web material and individual machines "havebeen devisedfor 'manufacturing cartons, =but the problem of continuouslyloading the :s'litted rolls has remained relatively in- 'eliicient andtime and labor consuming.'

It `is :an `object lof the instant invention to teach a novel method ofhandling :and packaging rolls of Web material.

It is :a further object to provide an eiiicient apparatus for handlingand packaging rolls of web material.

It is vstill another object to teach a ynovel method of moving rolls `ofWeb from a `plurality of manufacturing stations to a single packagingstation.

It is a still further object of the instant invention to provide Vanovel apparatus for moving rolls of web material iirom Aa plurality Vofmanufacturing stations to a single packaging station.

Another object is to provide a `novel packaging apparatus for waxedpaper rolls.

Other objects and the nature and advantages of the instant inventionWill be apparent from the following `description taken in conjunctionWith the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of apparatus in accordance with theinvention.

Fig. 2 is a schematic view in side elevation of the apparatus Ashown iinFig. l.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken along line `3'-3 ofV 'Fig land vlooking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken along line 4-4 of Fig. land looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is `an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken along line5--5 of Fig. l and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. V6 is an enlarged vertical section similar to Fig. 5 of a portionthereof.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken along line 7-7of Fig. l and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical section taken along line 8-8 of Fig. 1and looking .in the direction of the arrows.

' Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical elevation ktaken 'alongline 9 9 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

ICC

Fig. l0 is a vertical section .taken ,along `line 10-10 of Fig. 9 andlooking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. -11 4is a sectional View taken transversely 4of the .axis of thewax paper roll through the loaded and sealed wax paper roll `carton.

`Referring to Figs. 1 rand 2, `the constant Winder and slitting machine20 mamifactures a group .of live individual rolls 21 of wax paper on thespindle 22. These Wax paper rolls are of the usual size used .by thehousewife in the kitchen for `wavering foods .and Wrapping sandwichesand the like.

Though 'as manufactured, 4the individual roll size .is obtained from alarge jumbo roll by nnwinding .the .required length and slitting toaxial :size while .maintaining the axial group formation, .the `ends ofthe rolls .in the group do have a tendency to stick together. After thegroup is manufactured, a .lug 23, see Fig. 3, removes the group of fiveWax paper rolls from the .spindle 22 and thereafter the group `of .rolls4travels on the conveyor `24 to a position beneath the breaker .roll 25whereupon the individual rol-ls are guided 4onto .the `conveyor 26 whichtravels about ten percent faster than Jthe conveyor `241.

The conveyor 26 has a portion 27 Which runs up a slope of about `20 sothat the portion 27 rof the conveyor 26 makes an angle with the conveyor24 of .approximately lA6O. The `coordinated `action Iof the conveyor 24with breaker `roll 25 and the conveyor 26 includes a separating of theindividual rolls, .during their continuous travel, so that as the :rollscontinue in .their -axial Atravel they are separated by a distance ofapproximately .three quarters of an inch.

The group of live rolls continues to travel .on conveyor 26 unt-il therst roll of the group contacts the limit switch 28 which in turnactuates the solenoid operated pusher 29 and effects the pushing of .the.axially aligned separated `five rolls down .the inclined table .30, seeFig. 4.

Passing through the inclined table are the two `stop bars 31 which serveto keep the group of Vrolls rolling down the inclined table .30 axiallyaligne-d. These stop bars are arranged transversely of the table 30 andare about eighteen inches apart. The :stop bars 3d alternately appearabove the table 30 .and disappear in order to leffectively align therol-ls axially in their travel to the conveyor 32 which is provided withpusher hars 33. These pusher bars 33 .are `spaced from each other on theconveyor 32 for a distance which is a multiple of the diameter of theindividual rolls.

A second constant Winder 40 which is arranged parallel to the constantWinder 20 serves to simultaneously manufacture a second group of waxpaper rolls which are slit into individual rolls21. This second group ofindividually slit rolls is formed on spindle 42 and is removed therefrom-by a conveyor 44 which may be identical with conveyor 24 and issimilarly provided Wit-h a removing lug similar to lug 23. The breakerroll 45 is identical with the breaker roll 25, previously described, andthe conveyor 46 is to .the conveyor 26 `and its inclined portion 47 issimilar to the inclined portion 27 of `the conveyor 26. The breaker roll45 in combination 'with the conveyor 44 and the portion 47 :serves toseparate the individual rolls 21 by about three quarters of an inch asthe group of rolls travels toward `the limit switch 48. The limit switch48, like the limit lswitch 28, serves to actua-te the solenoid operatedpushing mechanism 49to push the second group of `axially .alignedseparated rolls on to the inclined table 50 which is located above aportion of the conveyor 32.

The second group of rolls on the inclined .table 50 rolls into Vthe starWheel type of rotating gate 51 which serves to maintain `the secondgroup of rolls axially aligned 4and to dispense them on to the conveyor32 between the lugs 3 33 thereby combining the second group of rollswith the first group of rolls, see Fig. 5.

The conveyor 32 may be driven by a variable speed motor so that thespeed can be increased and the accumulating table 52 more `or lesscompletely filled as required.

The conveyor 32, which is now carrying both first and second groups ofrolls, feeds the inclined accumulating table 52 which in turn feeds therocking or oscillating dispending gate 53. This oscillating gate ormetering member dispenses or meters one group of rolls at a time on tothe conveyor 54 (see Figs. 5 and 6) which has a horizontal or a levelportion 55 and an upwardly ir1- clined portion 56. The upwardly inclinedconveyor portion 56 feeds the downwardly inclined chute 57 which is wideenough to accommodate one roll so that the rolls from the group onconveyor 54 are separated into individual rolls with their axes parallelto each other and with the rolls one behind the other.

In order to keep the axes of the rolls transverse of the chute 57 asthey roll down, there is provided on the side margins of the chute apair of moving belts S which travel at a speed somewhat in excess of thespeed with which the rolls roll down the chute 57. Accordingly,

if one of the rolls tends to become askew it will roll toward one of thebelts and as the trailing end of the roll contacts the more rapidlymoving belts the roll which was askew will straighten itself so as tohave its axis transverse of the chute 57.

The chute 57 feeds the escape mechanism controlled star wheel 59 whichin turn dispenses individual rolls into open empty set-up cartons 60which travel on conveyor 6 1 below the escape mechanism controlled starwheel 59, see Fig. 7.

The loaded or iilled but open cartons travel along conveyor 61 with-therolls in the cartons having their axes parallel to each other and onebehind the other until they reach conveyor 62 whereupon the direction ofthe cartons is changed to an axial direction. Lugs 63 on conveyor 62carry individual cartons in a direction parallel to the axis of the rollwithin the carton and beneath the rotating forcing member 64, see Fig.8, which serves to fold in the rear wing 65 of each individual carton60. As the individual cartons pass along on the conveyor 62 the forwardwing 66 of the cartons 60 is automatically folded in by the bar 67. Asthe cartons 60 pass further along the conveyor 62 after both wings 65and 66 are folded in, the cover 68 is folded in by the action of thefixed cam 69.

The locking tab '70 is maintained outwardly of the cover until it passesbeneath the second rotating forcing member 71 which serves to insert thelocking tab 70 into the locking slit 72 in the front wall of the carton,see Figs. 9, l0 and 1l.

At the end of the travel of the individual cartons on the conveyor 62,the individual cartons are loaded, folded and sealed and they are passedto the conveyor 73 where again the axes of the rolls within the cartonsare parallel to each other and one behind the other. The conveyor '73may serve to load a master or multiple carton machine or the individualpackaged rolls may be taken from conveyor 73 and loaded into large ormaster shipping cartons by hand.

Referring specifically to Fig. 3, the conveyor 24, which is a movingbelt, is located below the constant Winder 20. The moving belt 24 passesaround the pulleys 100 and 101. The pulley 100 is mounted on the shaft102 on which is also mounted the sprocket wheel 103 having thirty-twoteeth thereon. Through the medium of the chain 104 and the sprocketwheel 105 having thirty teeth, which is driven through chain 106 bysprocket `wheel 107 on motor 10S, sprocket 103 is driven at a somewhatlower peripheral speed than the pulley 109 which is mounted on shaft 110on which sprocket wheel is also mounted. Accordingly, it will beunderstood that the conveyor 26 which may be a belt travels at a linealspeed approximately ten percent greater than the lineal speed of belt 24and the rolls 21 will separate approximately three quarters of an inchas shown on the inclined portion 27 of the belt 26 under the influenceof the combined action of the breaker roll 25, the belt 24 and theportion 27 of the belt 26. The bottom of the breaker roll 25 is spacedfrom the belts 24 and 26 about two and one-quarter inches when thediameter of the rolls 21 is about two inches.

Referring specifically to Fig. 4, the air cylinder 111 operates a pistontherein which in turn causes oscillation of the lever 112 about thefixed pivoting shaft 113 which.

in turn causes reciprocating motion of the two stop bars 31 so that whenthe higher stop bar 31 is in exposed position as shown in Fig. 4, thelower stop bar 31 will disappear below the top of the inclined table 30.When the higher stop bar 31 is in the position below the top of thetable `30, then the lower stop bar 31 will be exposed. Accordingly, itwill be understood that as the groups of rolls roll down the inclinedtable 30 they are stopped for a relatively short period of time for thepurpose of aligning the individual groups of rolls and then they arepermitted to roll on in axial alignment until they are again stopped andagain axially aligned should any partial disalignment occur, until theyare conveyed on to the conveyor 32 where they may be pushed along by thepusher bars 33.

Referring specifically to Figs. 5 and 6, after the groups of rolls havebeen combined by the action of the star wheel type of rotating gate 51so that the groups of rolls passing down the inclined table 50 arecombined with the rolls between the pusher bars 33 on the conveyor 32,the groups of rolls are accumulated on the inclined table 52 and aremomentarily stopped in their travel by the oscillating gate 53 which isa portion of a long tube 114 journalled for oscillation at its oppositeends with a portion cut away for a length somewhat larger than the axialdimension of a group of rolls. The tube 114, of which the oscillatingmember 53 -is a part, is fabricated from a pipe about two and one-halfinches in diameter and about six feet long. Only the center portion iscut out which leaves about three lineal inches of solid pipe at eachend. In this solid portion at each end a small stub shaft is inserted sothat tube 114 may be mounted for oscillation. The dimension ofoscillation of the member 53 is from full bathing position, as shown inFig. 5, through an arc of approximately 150 in a counterclockwisedirection and during this period of oscillation a stack of groups willbe baffled on inclined table 52 while one group is transferred toconveyor belt 54. When an entire group of rolls has been transferred bythe conveyor belt 54, the switch member 115 will fall and close thecircuit 116 to solenoid 117 which will pull the lever 113 in acounterclockwise direction about the pivot 119 so as to release the lock120 and permit the member 53 to oscillate.

The shaft 121 fixed to the ends of the tube 114 of which the oscillatingmember 53 is a part, receives its oscillatory motion from the rotatingdriving wheel 122. The lever arm 123 fixed to the shaft 121 is connectedby means of a weak spring to -a fixed point 124. The lever arm 125 whichis also fixed to the shaft 121 is connected to the periphery 126 of thewheel 122 by the strong spring 127. Accordingly, as the wheel 122constantly rotates, the member 53 will oscillate through an are ofapproximately when the lock 120 is in open position so as tosuccessively dispense a group of rolls from the table 52 to the conveyor24. The switch 115 is so located as not to interfere with this rolldispensing or transferring action, as shown in Fig. l.

Referring specifically to Fig. 7, cartons 60 which have already been setup manually or automatically on conveyor 61 pass below the escapemechanism controlled 5 i i u star `wheel 59 to receive `individualrolls. As will be observed from Fig. 7 the cover 68 contacts the lever128 which has a A'fixed pivot at '129 causing it to ,rotatecounterclockwise and push connect-ing lever 130 which is pivotallyconnected .at 131 to the escape member 132 which cooperates with thelugs 133 `on the escape wheel134 which is constantly urged to rotate inacounterclockwise direction. After a roll 21 has been dispensed into a`carton A60the lever 1128 falls of its own weight and is again ready 'tobe actuated by the next succeeding carton 60 during its continuoustravel on conveyor 61.

When there `are no more set-up cartons to be loaded the Wheel 59 will nolonger Ibe actuated. A system of switches assures that there are alwaysenough iilledcartons on conveyor '61 to exert a positive pressuresuicient to rapidly pushanother'carton into the carton closure as soonas=one `is carried away.

Referring specifically -to Fig. 8, the rot-ating `forcing member '64isshown forcing the rear wing '65 into folded position after the frontwing 66 has .already `been folded by "the :action of the bar 67. "Onconveyor 62 and immediately behind the rotating rforcing member 46'4 isa similar carton 60 which is 'fully open and ready to be acted upon bythe forcing member 64H. The speed of rotation 'of the 4element 164 issuch 'that it makes one 'revolution per carton and, accordingly, it iscoordinated with the speed of the conveyor 62.

Referring -specically to Figs. 9, 10.and `l'1, the con- :veyor v62 hasserved to carry the cartons 60 beneath the cover folding and insertingplate 69 to the position beneath the rotating forcing member 71 whichcomprises a lforcing finger 135 lwhich in turn serves to engage, insert'and forceyinwardly the locking tab 70 on the cover 68 Aof the 'carton60. 'Plate 69 is of generally inverted 'L-shape cross-section, and the4two legs thereof are positioned --relatively uto the way `in which thecartons 60wpass "sothat the 'tuck flaps on the covers of the cartons '60are lfolded and then the leading edges of these tuck flaps are insertedbehind the carton front wall, the cover is forced downwardly as the,cartons advance, and due to ,the natural resiliency ofthe cartonmaterial, `the locking tab vis somewhat outstanding relatively `to thetuck flap.

The rotating forcing member 71 may be driven by the sprocket chain l1 36which drives theshaft 137 which in turn drives lthe shaft 138 through auniversal joint 139 `so that the shaft 138m=ay beat an angleto 'theshaft 137 and in order that 4:the locking tab 70` may be `engaged b.ythe linger `i135 in such a manner that Athe locking tab 70 Awillbeforced downwardly and inwardly through the lock- `ing lslit '72Iformed in the front w-all of the .tray portion `of the carton 60.

Thespeed of rotation of the forcing element 71 is such that it makes onerevolution per carton and lit is, ,ac- Icordingly, coordinated with thespeed of the conveyor 62.

The carton closing `apparatus described runs at a speed of aboutyseventy-five cartons per minute.

lThus 'itwfill be understood `that in accordance with -the invention,cartons may be loaded with wax paper rolls :and sealed at a high irateyof speed `in coordination Awith the manufacture of groups of rolls ofwax paper .on an intermittent basis and'at a relatively lower rate ofspeed,

, withfthe manufacture lof said trolls taking Vplace at more than onestation. The coordination `of the continuous `manufacture `ofwa-x paperrolls and the continuous .loading wand sealing of Ycartons effects asaving of labor and corresponding decrease in cost. `In coordinatingVthe manufactured product withthe packaging of the product .thecontinuous conveyance of the rolls both as to direction, change ofdirection `as well as change of level, lthe advantages described lareachieved. This coordination fis present in the instant inventionirrespective ofthe speciic apparatus recited as the procedure aswell asAthe apparatus is of significance `in achieving the desired relstilts.

:It Lwill be obvious to lthose skilled in the art thatvarious otherchanges may be made without departing from the .spirit `of the inventionand, therefore, Athe invention is not limited `to what is shown inthe-drawings ,and describedin ,the specification, but only as indicatedin the .appended claims.

rWhat is claimedis: i

1. In a waxed paper roll handling and packaging apparatus, first meansfor successively manufacturing groups of aplurality `of axially Aalignedwaxed paper rolls, first means for axially separating individual rollsin each group of said vaxially aligned rolls made by. said rstmanufacturing means, rst means for successively and transversely movingeach said groups, 4first means for axially aligning said successivelymoving groups in ltheir transverse travel, second means for successivelymanufacturing -groups of a plurality ,of axially `aligned waxed paperrolls, second `means for `axially separating individual rolls in eachgroup of `said axially aligned rolls made by saidsecond manufacturingmeans, second means for successively and transversely moving .each ofsaid groups made by said second manufacturing means, Sec- .ond means foraxially -aligning and successively moving groups made by said ,secondmanufacturing means -into the line of travel of groups made by saidfirst manufac .turing means, means for accumulating groups made by saidrst and second manufacturing means.

2. In a roll handling and `packaging apparatus, rst means forsuccessively manufacturing groups of a plurality of axially alignedrolls, first .means for axially separating individual rolls .in -eachgroup of said axially aligned rolls :made by said first manufacturingmeans, first means for successively and transversely moving each saidgroups, .irstmeans for .axially aligning said successively moving groupsin their ltransverse travel, second .means for successivelymanufacturing groups of a plurality of axially aligned rolls, secondVmeans for axially separating .individual rolls in each Vgroup of saidaxially .aligned rolls made by said second manufacturing means, second-means for successively and transversely moving each `of -said groupsmade by said second manufacturing means, second means for axially.aligning and successively `movinggroups made by said secondmanufacturing means into the line of travel .of groups made by `said rst`manufacturing means, means for accumulating groups made by said rst andsecond ymanufacturing means.

3. I-'hestructure recited .in claim .2, said `first .and second.manufacturing means being laterally spaced `from eachother, at least apart of said second means forimoving `said `groups `made by said vsecondmanufacturing 'means beingat a -higher level than at least a part `of-said iirst means Ifor successively moving said groups made :by saidfirst manufacturing means, whereby said groups made by said secondmanufacturing means Will join the line Vof travel of said groups Vmadeby said first manufacturing means by "travelling from a higher toa'lower level.

- 21. The structure Arecited 1in claim 2J means for `moving said`accumulated groups successively in `an axial direct'ion, means `forsuccessively moving at a generally high rate of speed individual `rollsfrom'said accumulated groups in a transverse direction with the axes ofindividual rolls parallel to each other and one Abehind the other `andlat right angles .to their line `-of travel, means for ,movingopen andempty cartons `at a generally high rate of speed, means for successivelyloading one `roll into each carton.-

5. The structure recited in claim 4, at least .a portion `of asaid`generallyhigh speed 4roll :moving means being located at a higher-level than said generally high speed carton moving means, whereby eachof said cartons `is loaded from above.

6. The structure recited in claim 4, generally thigh 4speed means forsuccessively moving isaid open loaded cartons in axial direction inend-to-end formation, means for successively closing said cartons.

7. The structure recited in claim 6, means for successively moving saidindividually loaded closed cartons in a transverse direction in a singlerow with the rolls within the cartons having their axes parallel to eachother and one behind -the other as opposed to end-to-end formation.

8. The structure recited in claim 6, said cartons each comprising a trayhaving two inwardly foldable side wings located at opposite endsthereof, `a foldable cover comprising a'locking tab and a front wallprovided with a locking slit, means for folding in the rear wing of eachcarton, means for bringing down the front cover of each carton, andmeans for inserting the locking tab within the locking slit.

9. The structure recited in claim 8, means for successively moving saidindividually loaded sealed cartons in a transverse 'direction in asingle row with the rolls within the cartons having their axes parallelto each other and one behind the other as opposed to end-to-endformation.

10. The structure recited in claim 8, said means for folding in saidrear wing comprising a rotating forcing member.

11. The structure recited in claim 8, said means for inserting thelocking tab within said locking slit comprising a rotating forcingmember.

12. The structure recited in claim 10, said rotating forcing memberbeing in timed relation with said high speed means for moving said openloaded cartons in endto-end formation so that said rotating forcingmeans makes one revolution as said high speed means for moving said openloaded cartons in end-to-end formation moves a distance equal to thelength of one carton.

13. The structure recited in claim 1l, said rotating forcing memberbeing in timed relation with said high speed means for moving said openloaded cartons in endto-end formation so that said rotating forcingmeans makes one revolution as said high speed means for moving said openloaded cartons in end-to-end formation moves a distance equal to thelength of one carton- 14. The structure recited in claim 1l, the axis ofrotation of said forcing member being at an angle of less than 90 withthe line of travel of said cartons in endto-end formation.

15. In a closing device for successively closing a series of cartonseach comprising a tray having two side wings located at opposite endsthereof, a foldable cover comprising a flap having a locking tab and afront wall provided with a locking slit, means for successively movingopen cartons in end-to-end formation, means for successively folding inthe rear wing of each carton, means 'for successively bringing down thecover of each carton and inserting the iiap thereof behind said frontwall, and means for inserting the locking tab through the locking slitcomprising a shaft, a finger fixed to and extending generally radiallyof said shaft, said shaft supporting said finger for rotation in a planethat is parallel to the line of movement of said cartons and that isinclined relatively to the carton side walls with the finger beingdirected from outside said carton downwardly towards the bottom thereofwhile engaging said locking tab.

16. The structure recited in claim l5, said means for folding -in saidrear wing comprising a rotating forcing member.

17. The structure recited in claim 16, said Vrotating forcing memberbeing `in timed relation with said means for moving said open loadedcartons in end-to-end formation so that said rotating forcing meansmakes one revolution as said high speed means for moving said openloaded cartons in end-to-end formation moves a distance equal to thelength of one carton.

18. The structure recited `in claim 15, said linger being simultaneouslyin timed relation with said means for moving said open loaded cartons inend-to-end formation so that said finger makes one revolution as saidhigh speed means -for moving said open loaded cartons in end-to-endformation moves a distance equal to the length of one carton.

19. The structure recited in claim 2, said first means for axiallyseparating individual rolls in each group comprising a first moving beltand a second moving belt, a breaker roll for forcing the transfer ofindividual rolls from said first belt to said second belt, means forcausing said second belt -to move faster than said first belt.

20. The structure recited in claim 19, said second belt being at anangle of approximately 160 to said first belt.

21. The structure recited in claim 2, said first means for axiallyaligning said groups in their transverse travel comprising anintermittently operated stop bar arranged parallel to the axes of saidgroups.

22. The structure recited in claim 2, said second means for axiallyaligning and successively moving groups made by said secondmanufacturing means comprising a Wheel of star-like section having alength corresponding to the length of a group.

23. The structure recited in claim 4, and means to successively releaseone group of said accumulated groups comprising an oscillating memberformed of a tube having its central portion cut away in part so as toform a combination metering pocket and stop, means for rotating saidoscillating member about its axis through an arc of approximately meansfor timing the period of oscillation of said oscillating member.

24. The structure recited in claim 4, said means for `successivelymoving individual rolls from said accumulated groups in a transversedirection with the axes of individual rolls parallel to each other andone behind the other comprising an inclined plane for causing the rollsto roll down said plane, a pair of moving belts forming the side marginsof said plane, means for moving said belts at a velocity greater thanthat of the rolls rolling down said inclined plane.

25. The structure recited in claim 4, said means for successivelyloading one roll into each carton comprising a star Wheel meteringelement, means for controlling the rotation of said metering element inresponse to the motion of said empty cartons.

26. The method of handling and packaging rolls of web materialcomprising moving first groups of a plurality of axially aligned rollsin an axial direction, separating individual rolls in said first groups,moving said separated groups in a transverse direction while maintainingtheir alignment, moving second groups of a plurality of axially alignedrolls in an axial direction, separating individual rolls in said secondgroups, moving said separated second groups in a transverse directionand maintaining their alignment, accumulating said first groups withsaid second groups.

27; The method recited in claim 26, accumulating said first groups withsaid second groups by moving said second groups downwardly into the lineof travel of said first groups.

:28. The method recited in claim 26, successively moving individualrolls `from said accumulated groups with their axes parallel and onebehind the other while successively moving individual open cartons inthe same general direction, moving individual rolls into individualcartons.

29. The method recited in claim 28, wherein said last step involvesmoving individual rolls downwardly into said individual cartons.

30. The method recited in claim 28, successively moving said loadedcartons in endto-end formation and simultaneously sealing said cartons.

31. The method recited in claim 29, successively moving .Said ,loadedand sealed cartons inV transverse 9 -formation with their axes paralleland one behind the other.

32. The structure recited in claim 4, said means for successivelyloading one roll into each carton comprising `a star Wheel meteringelement, means for controlling the rotation of said metering element inresponse to the position of a moving open carton.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 10Marcalus Oct. 13, 1931 Shock Mar. 25, 1941 Monaco July 30, 1946 HolmbergJan. 9, 1951 Schmied May 27, 1952 Wood Jan. 12O, 1953 Boyce Nov. 24,1953 Wood Jan. l2, 1954 Lear lluly 26, 1955 Rose May 29, 1956 Rose Oct.9, -1956

